Health Alerts for Zimbabwe

Protect your health against common disease risks when traveling to Zimbabwe. This compilation of Zimbabwe Health Alerts and a visit to your local Zimbabwe Travel Medicine Specialist will help you prepare your health for a trip of a lifetime.

INFLUENZA WorldwideNov. '17 – According to the CDC, annual vaccination against seasonal influenza is recommended for all people 6-months of age and older. Globally, influenza activity is low in most regions. In North America, influenza activity continues to decrease. In Europe, influenza activity continues to decrease in most countries. In northern Africa and the Middle East, influenza activity continues to decrease or remained low in most countries; however activity remained high in Jordan and Turkey. In the temperate countries of Asia, influenza activity continued to decrease, but continues to remain high in the Republic of Korea. In tropical countries of the Americas, influenza activity remains low in most countries. In tropical Asia, influenza activity began to decline in India but continued to decrease in southern China and Hong Kong SAR. In tropical Africa, influenza activity increased in western Africa, however Madagascar reported declining influenza activity. Lastly, in the southern hemisphere influenza activity remains at inter-seasonal levels.
Sources Include: International Society for Infectious Diseases, Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization.

CHOLERA in ZimbabweNov. '17 – Cholera is a bacterial disease that can cause diarrhea and dehydration. Cholera is most often spread through the ingestion of contaminated food or drinking water. Although cholera is preventable, an estimated 3 to 5 million cases and over 100,000 deaths occur each year around the world. Cholera is common in many Sub-Saharan African countries. Passport Health offers products for water purification and electrolyte replacement; precautions for food and water are covered in the travel consultation.
Recently, the following places have reported cases and/or deaths due to cholera:In Africa:Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. Tanzania alone has seen 4,835 cases, including 68 deaths in its most recent outbreak.
In Asia:India and Syria.
In the Americas: The last confirmed cholera case in Cuba was reported in a Canadian Traveler returning from Cuba in January 2015. In the Dominican Republic, since the beginning of the epidemic (November 2010), more than 32,200 suspected cholera cases have been reported, including more than 480 deaths. Since the beginning of 2015, more than 180 suspected cases, including 9 deaths, have been reported; this is an increase of cases compared to the same period last year. In Haiti, since the beginning of the epidemic (October 2010), more than 734,000 cholera cases have been reported, of which more than 50% were hospitalized and more than 8,700 have died. Since the beginning of 2015, there have been more than 10,300 cases, including 106 fatalities; the number of cases and deaths reported in 2015 are already higher than those reported during the same period last year.
Sources Include: International Society for Infectious Diseases, Center for Disease Control, Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization.

CHIKUNGUNYA in ZimbabweNov. '17 - Chikungunya is known to occur during the rainy season in parts of Africa, Southeast Asia, southern India, and Pakistan. More recently the disease has also been reported in the Americas and South Pacific for the first time. According to the CDC, most people in the Americas are not immune to chikungunya so further spread is likely. Once infected people can infect and spread the virus to other mosquitoes. Chikungunya is often confused with Dengue fever, as the symptoms are similar, although chikungunya symptoms are less severe compared to dengue.
Local transmission of chikungunya has been reported in the following countries:
AFRICA: Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mayotte, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Reunion, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
AMERICAS: Anguilla, Antigua, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Bonaire, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthelemy, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, Sint Maarten (Dutch), Saint Martin (French), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S.A (several states - travel related), and Venezuela.
ASIA: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar (Burma), Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor, Vietnam, Yemen.
EUROPE: France.
OCEANIA/PACIFIC ISLANDS: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Marshall Islands, Federal States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Tokelau Islands, and Tonga.
Chikungunya fever is a disease caused by a virus that is spread to people through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Symptoms can include sudden fever, joint pain with or without swelling, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, lower back pain, and a rash. In case of these symptoms people are strongly advised to see their doctor. Travelers should use mosquito nets when sleeping and apply mosquito repellents.
Sources Include: International Society for Infectious Diseases, Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization.

MEASLES WorldwideNov. '17 - Health officials in France and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have reported an outbreak of measles.
You can get measles primarily by breathing in airborne particles that contain the virus. Symptoms of measles are rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes.
The best protection against measles is through vaccination.
SOURCES: CDC

TYPHOID FEVER in ZimbabweNov. '17 - According to the CDC, typhoid affects 21.5 million people worldwide each year. Fiji has one of the highest rates for typhoid fever in the world. Since 2015, Fiji has reported more than 2 dozen cases in Bua (Northern Division). Pakistan currently experiences an average of 1000 cases per year. Typhoid fever is endemic in Nepal; cases usually peak in July and August, when the highest annual precipitation occurs. According to health officials, incidence of typhoid fever in Australian travelers returning home have increased in recent years and failure to get vaccinations prior to travel may be to blame. Additionally, an increasing number of Australian travelers are bringing typhoid home with them, prompting a reminder for people to get pre-travel vaccinations. In Zimbabwe outbreaks were reported in and around Harare last year; typhoid outbreaks also occurred in these areas in almost every year of the last decade.
Travelers are encouraged to get the Typhoid vaccine prior to traveling to these and other endemic regions and to exercise food and water precautions.
Sources Include: International Society for Infectious Diseases, Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization.